


a touch of color

by tomkitty



Category: Gotham (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, College AU, M/M, Soulmate AU, ed and oz are the same age in this
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-03-20
Updated: 2017-03-20
Packaged: 2018-10-07 15:41:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,059
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10363872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tomkitty/pseuds/tomkitty
Summary: "Even at a young age kids are taught about the colors. How, when you love someone you leave a watercolor mark on their skin in the first place you touch them once the love is there. You can receive colors from anyone, friends and family alike but by far the most important mark to receive according to everyone, is your soulmate mark.When a person is touched by their soulmate the mark it leaves is unlike the rest. It’s brighter than the rest, more vibrant, and it radiates a kind of warmth that you feel deep in your being. When you receive your soulmate mark, there is an instant connection and you just know that this is the person for you.But because Ed didn’t have any colors at all he was bullied for being different, for being unloved."





	

**Author's Note:**

> This isn't an idea I came up with on my own. I saw it as a prompt somewhere on tumblr ages ago and thought it would be good to use for Nygmobblepot. I'd link the prompt but I'm not sure where to find it anymore.
> 
> Also yes, Alfred is in this, and yes, I know that doesn't make sense, but I don't care. Blame Sean and his IG post of him and Cory dressed as their characters yesterday. After that I couldn't resist adding him in.
> 
> Oh and sorry about the characterization. It's going to be pretty, if not very, ooc in my opinion (especially Zsasz and Alfred, at this point they're pretty much OC's with the characters names honestly) but I mean... it IS an au so... just bare with it okay?
> 
> I wrote this in a rush, trying to make the deadline for Nygmobblepot week, so if it seems like the timeline is rushed... That's because it is.
> 
> Any and all mistakes are my own!

Ed stood out. He was lean, lanky, and he had these long, gangly limbs that he was never sure what to do with, but that’s not what made him stand out. No, rather, it was his pale, blank skin that drew people’s eyes to him. Ed was colorless, free of the watercolor stains that covered every other person around him. Ed was completely unmarked, and in the world he lived in, a person not marked, was a person not loved. 

The first colors that a person ever gets is from their parents. Not Ed though. His parents didn’t want him, only thought of him as a burden, so the watercolor marks that Ed was supposed to get upon being held by his parents for the first time never showed up.

When it was time for Ed to go to school, the other kids took one look at his unmarked arms and avoided him. Even at a young age kids are taught about the colors. How, when you love someone you leave a watercolor mark on their skin in the first place you touch them once the love is there. You can receive colors from anyone, friends and family alike but by far the most important mark to receive according to everyone, is your soulmate mark. 

When a person is touched by their soulmate the mark it leaves is unlike the rest. It’s brighter than the rest, more vibrant, and it radiates a kind of warmth that you feel deep in your being. When you receive your soulmate mark, there is an instant connection and you just know that this is the person for you. 

But because Ed didn’t have any colors at all he was bullied for being different, for being unloved. By the time Ed got to high school his bullies changed over the years but he still had the same words thrown at him over at over.

Who could ever love a freak like you? 

Look at you. You could never have a soulmate. Your own parents don’t even love you. 

You’ll remain unmarked and unloved, completely colorless for the rest of your life. 

Ed had been hearing them for years. It didn’t take very much for him to begin to believe them.

That’s not to say that Ed didn’t love others. Ed wanted so much to be loved, to even be liked, that he’d attach himself to others emotionally and try so hard to get them to love him, but they never did. He knew because by the time he finally got up the nerve to touch them, grab them by their hand, tap their shoulder, brush against their arm, he’d leave a telltale green mark on their skin but Ed himself would remain unmarked. A blank canvas. 

Unlovable.

By the time Ed was finally able to go off to college, after so many failures of trying to get others to love him, Ed decided to just be content with loving others. To show them how much they mean to him and not expect anything back. Love was about sacrifice, and Ed was willing to sacrifice his own happiness in order to make those he cared about happy. Still, after so many attempts at trying to get others to leave a mark on him, Ed decided it was best to just avoid physical contact altogether. 

After all, you can’t feel the disappointment of never being marked, of knowing that someone you care for, cares nothing of you, if you don’t let people close enough to touch you.

\--

The school that Ed ended up going to was one of the best thanks to Ed’s high gpa and countless scholarships that he was offered. Ed was brilliant and he knew it. And now that he was of age, he was able to get as far away from his parents as possible, not that they even cared. 

With a map of the campus already memorized, Ed made his way to his assigned door. He couldn’t afford a single, so he was stuck rooming with someone, not that he minded much. He just hoped that whoever they were, they were at least civil. He did not want to spend his next year as someone’s punching bag, not that he wasn’t used to it but, he left home to get away from that sort of thing. 

Entering his dorm room, Ed took a quick look around. He was standing in a small living area that had space off to the side that worked as a kitchenette and from what he could see his roommate had already moved in. There was a tv set up, some cushions lying about the floor, and a box on the counter of the kitchenette which held, what Ed assumed to be, dishware. 

Ed made his way to where the bedroom doors were and knocked tentatively on one of them. When there came no reply, he opened it to find an empty room. Good, he’d claim this room as his own then. He made quick work of unpacking all his things, honestly he didn’t have much. He got his room just to his liking and then went over to the bathroom to place his toiletries away. His roommate seemed to have just thrown most of his stuff on the counter to the left of the sink so Ed placed all his things on the right. 

It was then that he heard the sound of the front door opening and closing. That must be his roommate, at least, Ed hoped it was his roommate. Ed exited the bathroom and stopped in his tracks. There, standing in the kitchenette, was a guy, whom he could only assume was his roommate, dressed in a unicorn onesie. An actual unicorn onesie, with the ears and the horn and the tail, everything. 

Ed couldn’t see much of his roommate;s body thanks to the onesie but from what he could see of his hands and neck, this guy was covered in color. He must be very loved.

“Hey, I’m Victor Zsasz. You can call me Zsasz, most everyone does. Or Victor I guess. Up to you really. Looks like you and me are gonna be roomies!”

“I’m Edward. Edward Nygma.”

“Nice to meet you Edward Edward Nygma,” Zsasz said with a wink.

It was then that his roommate, Zsasz, took a step towards Ed, his arms open in a hug and Ed himself took two steps back.

“Sorry. I’m sorry,” Ed said quickly upon seeing the confused look on Zsasz’s face. “I don’t really like to be touched. Sorry.”

“Why?”

“It’s just easier.”

“What’s easier?”

Ed looked at Zsasz, did he really want to get into this with his roommate now? They only just met. Well, his roommate seems harmless, maybe a little quirky, but harmless nonetheless. Oh, he might as well. Zsasz will find out sooner or later. Ed might as well tell him now, like ripping off a bandaid.

“Not touching people is easier.” Ed rolled up the sleeves of his sweater and showed the blank slates that were his arms. “When you’re like me, unlovable.”

Zsasz looked at Ed, then down at his arms then back up to his face, considering him before nodding to himself. “Okay.” 

“Okay?” Ed questioned. It couldn’t be that easy, could it?

“Yup.” Zsasz grinned at Ed and pushed the pizza box that was sitting on the counter in his direction. “Pizza?”

Ed looked at Zsasz a moment and shrugged before grabbing a slice. Guess that takes care of that.

\--

Classes start up and for the first time in his life, Ed manages to fade into the background. Everyone is is too wrapped up in their own lives and school work to notice the guy with no color on his arms. The excessive amount of sweaters that Ed owns helps as well, but on warmer days, when Ed decided to forgo the sweater, people barely noticed. He got a few looks sure, but other than that, no one said a word. 

Ed’s classes are rather easy, for him at least, so he takes a job at the campus library so he can keep busy and continue having a semi steady income. He’d been working since he was old enough to get a job, the less time he spent at home the better and an after school job had been the perfect excuse, so it only made sense to him that he continue working.

Ed liked working at the library, most of the other library workers tended to keep to themselves and since it was a library, there wasn’t a whole lot of noise.

“Hey Eddie boy!”

Well, most days.

Ed and Zsasz had a weird relationship. They had become close friends thanks to Zsasz’ insistent personality. In the beginning days of them rooming together Ed was happy to hole up in his room alone but soon enough Zsasz was popping around and insisting that Ed spend time with him. Declaring that, because they were roommates they were destined to become life long friends and had to spend every available moment making as many college memories as possible.

For Zsasz this usually meant bringing Ed with him to eat at one of the various restaurants around town, having Ed spend time with him and his other friends, or ordering take out and having Ed watch tv with him. There were also a few times where, after much begging on Zsasz’ part, Edward reluctantly agreed to wear one of Zsasz’ unicorn onesies. Only a few times!

In all honestly though, he genuinely enjoyed Zsasz’ company, and for once in his life, he was happy to have a friend.

Despite all that, Ed still had reservations about being touched. What if Ed was only imagining that Zsasz cared about him? What if, once again, Ed was the only one who truly cared for his friend? He wasn’t willing to risk it. The idea of being disappointed yet again being too unbearable. He was content with playing it safe for now. 

“Hello Zsasz, what happened this time?” Ed asked. 

“What? Can’t a guy drop by their friend’s workplace just to say hello?”

“Not if they’re you they can’t. This is a library. You hate the library.”

“I most certainly do not. The library is a wonderful place filled with books and knowledge, and most of all, my favorite person, you.”

“Yes, but you have to be quiet in the library, which, as we all know, you can’t do for extended periods of time.” 

“Fair point. And actually, I’m not here for you my dear Edward. I’m looking for Alfred. He should be around somewhere.”

“Alfred Pennyworth?” Ed asked, wondering why Zsasz wanted to see him. Alfred was another one of Zsasz’ friends. Ed knew he worked in the library but he didn’t see him much because they worked in different sections. What he did know of Alfred though was that he almost always seemed to be busy, at least according to Zsasz he was. Dance, fencing, boxing, culinary, volunteering, student government, all that while working a job at the library and working on his undergrad studies. It was a wonder that Alfred wasn’t burnt out. 

“Yes, the very same. It seems his dear roommate has locked himself out of their room. I offered to pick the lock for him, but Ozzie refused. Said Alfred wouldn’t like it if someone broke into their room, even if it was just to let him in.”

“And he was right.” Alfred said, approaching the pair.

“Alfie! Old buddy old pal!” Zsasz exclaimed, earning him a few glares from students at nearby tables who were studying, not that he even noticed.

“What’s this about Oswald getting locked out?”

“Ah yes, it seems our dear friend has forgotten his keys and needs you to unlock the door for him.”

“And why couldn’t Oswald have told me himself? What did you do to him Zsasz?” Alfred questioned, suspicious.

“Oh nothing, nothing! Not a single thing!” Zsasz said waving a hand in front of himself to dismiss the very notion.

It was then that the door to the library opened and in stormed a very angry looking Oswald. “You!” Oswald hissed, making his way over to where the trio was standing. “You did that on purpose! What are you playing at!”

“Hey, Ozzie’s here! Would you look at that!” Zsasz said with a seemingly innocent smile on his face.

“Zsasz what did you do?” Alfred asked, sounding exasperated.

“I have done nothing wrong. Ever. In my life.”

“You lying piece of-!” Oswald stopped and took a breath trying to calm himself. There was no use yelling at Zsasz. He was always pulling stunts like this. Instead Oswald turned and addressed Alfred. “He stole my dorm room key, had me chasing him around campus for almost an hour, and when I finally caught up to him, he tells me that he never actually had the key and instead had threw it under the door to our room!”

Alfred sighed then. “Why didn’t you just come to me first? I would have given you my key to our room.”

“Because Zsasz-! Oh.” Oswald visibly deflated at that, all his anger rushing out of him as a light blush began to color his cheeks. He looked down, his hair falling into his eyes, and scuffed his shoe against the floor. “Uh, it never occurred to me I guess.”

Ed stared down at the man standing before him. Oswald was short, not just in comparison to Ed’s bean pole self but in general. Sure he had those broad shoulders and big hands and he knew how to command the room when he needed it but, he was still rather short. Especially when standing around his three, rather tall, friends. Plus there were certain moments where Oswald would seem to draw in on himself, making him seem even smaller, like how he was doing right now. It was cute really. Ed couldn’t help himself as he stared. 

He always caught himself staring at Oswald really. They had spent a lot of time together what with Zsasz bringing the both of them along on his adventures. Ed had bonded with Oswald over their amusement, and sometimes over their frustration, at Zsasz’ antics. 

“Oh well, nothing we can do about it now. No harm done right?” Alfred said, liftimg Oswald’s chin up to look at his face. His hair was still covering his eyes. Ed wanted nothing more than to reach out and brush them out of the way but he couldn’t. He didn’t want to touch Oswald, he didn’t want to risk it.

Oswald nodded and sent a glare in Zsasz’s direction. “I’m still annoyed with you for making me chase you all over campus but, yeah, I guess it’s okay.”

“Well great!” Zsasz said clapping his hands together, earning him more glares yet again from nearby students. “Now that that’s settled. Ed, your shift is ending is it not?”

Ed snapped his gaze away from Oswald and looked over at Zsasz. “Uh yeah, yes. It’s,” He glanced at the clock and saw that his shift was indeed over, “it’s done.”

“Alfie? Your shift is over too isn’t it?” 

“Yes… Zsasz, what are you-”

“Oh well what a wonderful random happenstance! The four of us, together, and free from any pressing responsibilities. I say this is cause for a celebration! How about we all go get some dinner hm? My treat.” 

Ah, so that’s what Zsasz’ plan was. “You know Zsasz,” Ed said, unable to help the fond smile that came across his face, “If you wanted us all to hang out you could have just said so. You didn’t have to try to trick us. Or at least, trick Oswald.”

“No I couldn’t,” Zsasz retorted. “Someone is almost always busy. Especially Alfie.”

“Well how would you know that I wouldn’t have something to do after work today?” Alfred asked.

“Because, I know your schedule inside and out. That’s just the kind of friend that I am. Loyal to a fault really.”

“You checked with Lee didn’t you.” 

Zsasz pouted at that. “Okay so maybe I did. But just because your girlfriend knows your schedule better than I do doesn’t mean that I don’t care as much as she does.”

“Oh of course not. Come on, bring it in.” Alfred said, holding his arms open for Zsasz to cuddle into, and that he did.

“Wait wait, so you stole my keys and got me to chase you all because you wanted us all to hang out together?” Oswald asked, interrupting Zsasz and Alfred’s little moment.

“Well, when you put it that way it just sounds ridiculous. But yes, I did.”

Oswald’s face soften at the admission and went up to join Alfred and Zsasz in their hug. He wrapped his arms around the two of them, effectively creating an Alfred, Zsasz, and Oswald sandwich with Zsasz being in the middle.

Ed wished he could get a hug from Oswald like that. But he couldn’t, not now. He didn’t know what he would do if Oswald touched him and there was no mark left behind.

“You can get in on this too if you’d like. You know that right Ed?” Zsasz asked, glancing over at Ed who stood off to the side, away from their little group hug.

“I know.”

“Okay, as long as you do. You’re always welcome. Always.”

Ed just smiled softly back at them. Maybe one day, just not yet. He still wasn’t ready.

\--

 

Over the next few weeks Ed and Oswald begun spending a lot of time together, not just with Alfred and Zsasz either, but just the two of them. They studied together, had dinner with each other a few times a week, Ed loved to cook for the two of them, and spent a lot of time just talking about everything and anything. They had grown close and in the midst of everything Ed had begun opening up to Oswald about his past and his colorless skin.

“What makes you say that you’re unlovable?”

Ed looked at Oswald incredulously. The answer to that should have been obvious. “My arms, they’re completely blank. My entire body is. No one has ever loved me or even cared enough about me to leave any kind of mark behind. My own parents didn’t leave any color on me. I’m void of color.”

“So?” Oswald said with a shrug. “That doesn’t mean that you’re unlovable Ed. That just means that you hadn’t met the right people yet.”

“I’m never going to meet the right people. I’m going to be colorless forever.” Ed looked down at his own blank arms. “But it’s okay. I’ve already come to terms with that Oswald.” 

“No one ever loves me as much as I love them. I have loved and cared about many people, left my color on all of them, but none of them, not a single one, has ever left their own color on me.”

“Do you have any idea how much that hurts? To think you finally found someone who could potentially care about you, to have that hope? Only to touch them and find that they didn't love or even care about you after all. That in the end it was nothing but pity. Poor, weird little Ed with his pale, colorless skin.”

“Mark me.”

Ed snapped his head up to look at Oswald who hand his hands out in front of him. “What?”

“You heard me. Mark me.”

“No Oswald, I can't. I won't!”

“Why not? We’re friends aren't we. You care about me right?”

“Of course I do Oswald. I would do anything for you.”

“Then I want you to prove it.”

“Oswald please, I can’t. What if I end up marking you and you don't mark me back? What if- wait what are you doing?!”

Oswald had gotten up from when he was seated and pulled off his shirt. As he stood in front of Ed he gestured to the marks on his body.

The light dusting of pink around his torso. “My mother.”

A pale red on his upper arms “My father.”

 

A sunshiney yellow mark on his right shoulder. “Zsasz.”

A soft blue on his right forearm. “Alfred.”

“Oswald…” Ed said softly.

“I can’t claim to fully understand what it was like to go your entire life without being marked. And my intentions behind showing you my marks are not to make you feel bad but,” Oswald took a breath and sat back down beside Ed, “While I may have had my parents love for most of my life, that’s all I had for most of my life. In school, I had no friends no matter how hard I tried, no one wanted anything to do with me.”

“I only met Zsasz and Alfred this year and their marks on me were purely accidental. Zsasz came up behind me and slapped me on the shoulder while Alfred grabbed my arm to prevent me from tripping. I didn't do anything to try to get them to care for me, I lost hope of anyone else  
caring about me years ago, but they still left their colors. I wasn’t expecting them to, I didn’t think anyone except my parents could ever care for me because, up until that point, no one else ever did.”

“I know it must be harder for you. To take that step and let people in but I’m telling you right now, that I love you Edward Nygma. Really and truly, and I just know, that if you allowed me to, I’d leave my mark on you. Just as I know that you’d leave your mark on me. You love me too. I know you do. I can see it, feel it. Can’t you feel it?”

Ed couldn’t believe what he was hearing. The negative part of him, the side that took and internalized every hateful statement that had ever been thrown at him, was screaming at him that Oswald was lying. That Oswald couldn’t possibly love him. Ed was unlovable, always had been and always would be. But another part of himself, the hopeful side, the one that still tried so hard to be loved, the side that continued to love and care for others despite never receiving it back, was overpowering the negative thoughts.

Oswald was right. Ed did love Oswald, loved him more than he cared to admit. He could feel it. Slowly, Ed reached out to Oswald, moving his own hands towards him. Until finally his hands were just hovering, inches away from Oswald’s own.

“Go on Ed. You, and only you, can do this. Trust in me. Trust in my words. Take my hands and you’ll see.” 

Ed looked into Oswald’s eyes, the green shining bright and true, and Ed just knew, knew with his whole body and heart, that he could trust Oswald. Knew that as much as he loved Oswald, that Oswald loved him too.

He loves me.

“You really do love me,” Ed said. It was a statement, not a question.

“I do.” Oswald replied, a soft smile on his face.

With that certainty in mind Ed grabbed ahold of Oswald’s hands, lacing their fingers together, and held firm. They waited a beat and suddenly there what this feeling that spread through Ed’s body. It was warm and it made him feel so so safe and secure. 

Ed let go of Oswald’s hand and looked down to see the bright purple that stood out starkly against his skin. Then he looked over at Oswald’s hands and saw his own green color but so much brighter and more vibrant than before.

“You, you’re my soulmate.” Ed breathed out, unable to believe his eyes.

“I am,” Oswald said, in just as much shock. His eyes filled with tears then and a bright smile formed on his face. “Oh, I had hoped that it would be you.”

“You did?” Ed asked, still in shock at the turn of events.

“I did.” And with that Oswald threw himself into Ed’s arms, wrapping his arms around his neck as Ed wound his arms around Oswald torso, pulling him close.

Ed had finally been marked, finally loved, and he could not be happier that it was by Oswald. His soulmate. His one true love.

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for reading! I know, I know... It wasn't the best thing and it was SO rushed and ooc by I hope it was still enjoyable to read?? And hopefully it mades sense/wasn't too much of a mess!


End file.
